Pliers-type handtool having a crimping station

Abstract

A pliers-type handtool is provided for crimping an electrical connector upon one end of an insulated conductor, including a crimping drum that is mounted on a fixed member for rotation between first and second positions, and an actuating lever that is reciprocated by pivotal movement of the handle portions of the handtool to rotate the drum between its first and second positions. The actuating lever is connected with the drum by a lateral slot of divergent width that receives a drum pin that extends axially from one end of the drum, the slot having a width adjacent its bottom that corresponds generally with the diameter of the drum pin.

1. A pliers-type crimping handtool for crimping an electrical connector onto an insulated conductor, comprising:
 (a) a fixed member including a housing ( 5 ) having a first end defining a fixed handle portion ( 6 ); 
 (b) a movable member including a first end defining a movable handle portion ( 7 ), said fixed and movable members having second ends, said members being pivotally connected intermediate their ends for relative displacement about a pivot axis between open and closed conditions; 
 (c) a crimping drum ( 3 ) connected with said fixed member second end for rotation about an axis ( 4 ) parallel with said pivot axis between first and second positions, said crimping drum being operable to transport an electrical connector from said first position to said second position; and 
 (d) rotating means for rotating said crimping drum from said first position toward said second position as said fixed and movable members are pivoted from said open condition toward said closed condition, said rotating means including:
 (1) a drum pin ( 11 ) extending axially from one end of said drum parallel with and radially spaced from said drum axis; 
 (2) an actuating transport lever ( 10 ) connected with said movable member for reciprocatory movement in a plane normal to said drum axis, said actuating lever having a first end pivotally connected with said movable member, and a second end containing a slot ( 12 ) opposite and extending normal to said drum pin, said slot including a bottom portion ( 12   b ) having a width that corresponds generally with the diameter of said drum pin, said slot including a divergent top portion ( 12   a ) having a width that is greater than the diameter of said drum pin; and 
 (3) means for pivoting said actuating lever about said first end to cause said drum pin to be displaced laterally downwardly toward the bottom of said slot as said fixed and movable members are pivoted from said open condition toward said closed condition, said lever pivoting means including:
 (a) fixed abutment ( 20 ) carried by said fixed member adjacent said actuating lever second end on the opposite side thereof from said crimping drum, 
 (b) said abutment including an inclined guide surface ( 13 ) that is operable during displacement of said first and second members toward the closed condition to pivot said actuating lever in a direction causing relative lateral displacement of said drum pin downwardly into said slot. 
 
 
 
   
   
     2. A crimping tool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said movable member is connected with said actuating lever by means of a drive pin ( 8 ) that extends laterally from said movable member second end into an elongated cam slot ( 9 ) contained in said actuating lever first end, said cam slot having a cam surface ( 9   a ) that is operable to displace said actuating lever generally in the direction of said drum as said fixed and movable members are displaced toward the closed condition. 
   
   
     3. A crimping tool is defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fixed member contains a drum support shaft defining said drum axis and upon which said crimping drum is rotatably mounted, said crimping drum being axially displaceable on said shaft between a retracted position in which said drum pin is spaced from said actuating lever, and an active position in which said drum pin is adjacent said actuating lever, said crimping drum being normally spring biased toward said inactive position and being axially displaceable by an insulated conductor toward said active position.